Juvenile Diversion Programs
Juvenile Diversion Programs
Introduction
Juvenile diversion programs are created in order to provide channels for under-aged offenders to get out of the juvenile justice system. The creation of the juvenile diversion program was based on several rationales. One of the rationales was that taking certain people through the juvenile justice system would have more negative outcome than positive ones. Thus, diversion program provides an opportunity to settle petty issue outside court. The second rationale for creation of juvenile program was to lessen the burden for the juvenile justice system. This paper explores the success of the programs in achieving the two goals.
Diversion Programs
One of the diversion programs is the Youth Services Bureau (YSB). YSB provides services and programs that are designed to empower youths and prevent juvenile delinquency. The program act to prevent intervention of the justice system where petty crimes are committed by youths. Youth Service Bureau has been effective in addressing juvenile delinquency because it addresses the root causes of the juvenile delinquent problem. Alcantara (2012)noted that many youths in the 21st century are less likely to follow a normal path to adulthood than in the 1950s because of diminished economic opportunities. Over 60% of parents in the 21st century provide financial support to youth children. This statistic is an indication of diminished economic opportunities (Alcantara, 2012). Today youths have to compete in job market that favors experience and highly skilled personnel. YSB has managed to address juvenile delinquency by empowering youths with vocational training and other services that are directed toward improving their social economic conditions.
Community service is also another concept that was developed in order to provide juvenile diversion to petty offenders. Community service program is a component of the juvenile justice system, and the main goal of this component is to provide alternative punishment to petty offender other than incarceration. The community service programs have been effective in reducing crime recidivism rates and in reducing the burden on the juvenile justice system. A study conducted by Fitzgerald (2009) reveals that California has managed to reduce the number of youths in juvenile facilities from 10,000 to 2,500 between 1990 and 2007. Statistics also indicate that youth crime in California has increased during this period. Fitzgerald (2012) has pointed out that confinement accounts for an average of $300 per youth every day. Thus, alternative punishments reduce cost for the justice system by eliminating the expenses associated with confinement of youths.
Community based alternatives are also forms of juvenile diversion. Community based alternatives are institutions formed by communities to process youth crime issues instead of processing these crimes in the formal juvenile justice system. Proponents of community based programs argue that the programs are efficient because they maintain the connection between offenders and the community. According to Fitzgerald (2009) the community based alternatives have been effective in reducing the burden on the juvenile justice system but not effective in reducing youth crimes. Fitzgerald (2009) points out that over 10% of youths referred to family courts by Rhode Island’s juvenile system had received at least two previous referrals in the past. Fitzgerald (2009) argues that family and community structures are some of the risk factors of juvenile crimes and thus, communities may be less effective in dealing with these crimes.
Conclusion
Juvenile Diversion Programs were created to provide a way out of the juvenile system for petty youth offenders. The rationale of these programs was to reduce negative impacts of incarceration and lessen the burden exerted on the juvenile justice system. This paper has evaluated several diversion programs including; Youth Service Bureau, Community Services and Community Based Alternatives. These diversion programs have had varying degree of success in meeting the two goals of juvenile diversion.
References.
Alcantara A. (2012). Vulnerable Youth: Background and Policies. October 24, 2011. http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL33975.pdf
Fitzgerald S (2009). Providing for Rhode Island’s Juvenile Delinquents. October 24, 2011. http://digitalcommons.providence.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1031&context=socialwrk_students
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